A month had passed since the kidnapping incident.
The wounds had closed. The bandages were gone. The whispers across the capital had quieted into controlled political murmurs.
Now, instead of lying in bed, Rin Sumeragi sat comfortably inside a polished black carriage bearing the crest of the Sumeragi Dukedom.
Their destination: the Shinegori territory.
More specifically—
An invitation from Shinegori Akane.
Rin held the letter in his gloved hand, rereading a particular paragraph for what must have been the fifth time.
His lips twitched.
Harumi watched him from across the carriage seat.
"You're holding back laughter again, Young Master."
"I am not."
"You are."
Rin cleared his throat and read aloud in a dramatic tone:
"It would be an honor for you, as my most competent business associate, to attend the yearly Money Festival hosted by the illustrious Shinegori house."
He paused.
Then continued.
"Your presence would elevate the event beyond its already overwhelming grandeur."
Harumi folded her arms. "That sounds normal?"
He flipped the page.
"Additionally, as the White Consort of His Highness, I must endure the relentless social advances of distant relatives who lack both refinement and subtlety."
His eyebrow twitched.
"Therefore, your attendance would provide a most convenient professional excuse for my limited availability."
He lowered the letter.
"…Which translates to: 'I need you here so I can escape them. Help me.'"
Harumi nodded solemnly. "Very Lady Akane."
Rin chuckled softly.
Despite being the White Consort of the Crown Prince, Akane clearly had little patience for her extended family's opportunistic behavior.
"She sounded almost desperate," Harumi observed.
"Desperate?" Rin smirked. "No. Calculating. She knows I will see through it and still come."
"And you did."
"We are business partners."
Harumi raised a brow.
For the past month, Akane had visited the capital frequently. Meetings regarding the barrier device. Beverage production. Supply chains. Investment structuring.
Every meeting contained subtle probing.
She would casually ask about Sumeragi resource distribution.
Mention potential weak points in trade routes.
Smile smugly while trying to bait him into revealing long-term plans.
Rin always deflected smoothly.
"She's predictable," he said calmly. "Very close to her novel persona. Proud. Greedy. Opportunistic."
Harumi nodded.
She had observed those interactions personally.
Akane would lean forward with that feline grin and say, "If, hypothetically, the Sumeragi house were to expand into northern mining operations…"
And Rin would reply, "Hypothetically, Shinegori capital liquidity is overextended."
Then they would smile at each other like two gamblers who both knew the other was counting cards.
"She's like a proud cat," Harumi murmured to herself.
Rin narrowed his eyes. "What was that?"
"Nothing."
"You imagined whiskers on her face."
Harumi froze.
"…No."
"You did."
"…Maybe."
Rin leaned back, crossing his arms. "And I am what? A scratching post?"
Harumi tried to hold it in.
"…More like a dog tolerating the cat poking you."
Silence.
Rin stared at her.
"Rude."
"I didn't say anything!"
"Your face is the giveaway," he replied smoothly. "That beautiful grumbling face of yours is very obvious."
Harumi's brain stalled.
"W–Waa! Young Master, you idiot! Don't compliment me suddenly!"
She jerked back against the seat cushions.
Rin smirked.
"Revenge."
"For what?!"
"For always waking me up too close in the mornings," he replied lazily. "Every day I open my eyes and your face is right there."
Harumi sputtered. "That is because you refuse to wake up!"
"Still. That beautiful face greeting me daily is dangerous."
She covered her face with both hands.
"You—you looked smug just now."
Rin tilted his chin slightly, copying a familiar expression.
"Perhaps I learned a thing or two from Lady Akane."
Harumi peeked through her fingers.
"…You really did."
He gave her a smug side glance that would have made Akane proud.
Harumi pouted.
"Stop that. It suits you too well."
Outside the carriage, the capital scenery slowly gave way to wider fields. Golden plains stretched under a bright sky. Farmers worked in neat rows. Windmills turned lazily in the distance.
The Shinegori Dukedom was known for commerce. Markets. Banking houses. Trade guild headquarters.
Money Festival was not merely a celebration.
It was a spectacle.
Investors gathered.
Merchants displayed goods.
Nobles flaunted wealth under the guise of economic appreciation.
Akane was inviting him into her territory.
"How long until we arrive?" Rin asked.
"Before sunset, Young Master," Harumi replied.
She adjusted the documents in her lap.
"Speaking of which," she added, "there are only a few months left before the academy term begins."
Rin groaned quietly.
"And we also need to prepare for your birthday."
He closed his eyes.
"No need for an extravagant celebration."
Harumi tilted her head.
"The Duke and Duchess were rather disappointed when you said that."
"I do not have the mental capacity to handle a grand party."
He imagined it already.
Noble daughters lining up.
Their fathers pushing them forward.
Strategic smiles.
Political offers disguised as pleasantries.
"It will become a networking battlefield," he muttered. "More intense than the Crown Prince's birthday."
Harumi giggled.
"Well, you cannot refuse. It is your coming-of-age ceremony."
Rin winced.
Right.
Sixteen in this world.
Official adulthood.
Sword ceremonies.
Magic demonstrations.
Formal announcements of future alliances.
"Perhaps," Harumi added mischievously, "you will meet someone you like there?"
Rin stared at her as if she had suggested treason.
"I will not. And shall not. Fall in love easily."
"Why not?"
He sighed.
"To me, most of the noblewomen attending will feel… too young."
Harumi blinked.
"Considering my previous life age," he continued calmly, "I would be a middle-aged man."
"Sixteen to forty-five," Harumi mumbled.
She looked up slowly.
"…Wow. You died young."
Rin's eye twitched.
"At least in your twenties," she added. "Unfortunately for you, I died older."
He turned his head very slowly.
"Now call me Sister Harumi," she declared proudly.
Chop.
He karate-chopped her lightly on the head.
"Ow!"
"Grandma, are you alright in the head?"
"Waaaaaah!"
She lunged at him in retaliation—
Only to bounce off an invisible barrier.
Rin calmly activated his Isolation spell.
A faint shimmer surrounded him.
Harumi slapped at the invisible boundary uselessly.
"Coward!"
"You attacked an injured former middle-aged man."
"You are sixteen!"
"Mentally distinguished."
"Mentally annoying!"
She tried again, only for her hands to slide off the air.
Rin leaned back peacefully.
"Magic is truly convenient."
"Turn it off!"
"Apologize."
"Never!"
He smiled serenely.
Outside, the carriage wheels rolled steadily along the road.
After a moment, Harumi crossed her arms and huffed.
"Fine. I apologize."
The barrier vanished instantly.
She blinked.
"That fast?"
"I am merciful."
She glared at him.
"…You're enjoying this."
"Immensely."
The playful energy slowly settled into a comfortable quiet.
Fields gave way to larger roads.
More merchant caravans became visible, heading in the same direction.
Banners bearing the Shinegori crest fluttered from passing wagons.
"Money Festival must be drawing a crowd already," Harumi observed.
"Of course," Rin replied. "Akane would not miss an opportunity to expand influence."
He tapped the folded invitation letter thoughtfully.
"She wrote this like a command disguised as flattery."
"And you came like a knight answering a princess's plea."
He looked at her flatly.
"She asked for business support."
"Mhm."
"She did not ask emotionally."
"Mhm."
He narrowed his eyes.
"You're implying something."
"Not at all."
The carriage jolted lightly as it crossed a stone bridge.
Rin stared out the window at the flowing river below.
Despite everything—kidnappings, politics, reincarnation, looming plotlines—moments like this felt strangely peaceful.
He had business to build.
Magic to refine.
An academy to attend.
A coming-of-age ceremony to survive.
And somewhere in the Shinegori territory, a smug white consort was probably waiting with arms crossed, pretending she did not urgently need him there.
Rin smiled faintly.
"I wonder how dramatic she will act when we arrive."
Harumi imagined Akane flipping her hair and saying, "You took long enough."
"She will act annoyed."
"Definitely."
"And secretly relieved."
"Absolutely."
They both laughed.
The carriage continued forward beneath the open sky.
Ahead, beyond rolling hills and merchant banners, the wealthiest dukedom in the empire awaited—along with its proud, calculating, cat-like heiress who had practically written: Help me escape my relatives.
Rin adjusted his gloves.
"Let's see how much chaos Money Festival brings."
Harumi grinned.
"With Lady Akane involved?"
She leaned back comfortably.
"Probably a lot."
Arriving at the Shinegori Dukedom felt… surprisingly peaceful.
For a territory famous for wealth, trade wars, and political maneuvering, the atmosphere during the Money Festival carried a strange warmth. Lanterns were already being lit along the main roads as evening settled in. Silk banners embroidered with gold thread hung from balconies. Merchants called out cheerfully, advertising rare spices, enchanted trinkets, and investment opportunities with equal enthusiasm.
Carriages moved steadily through the wide avenues, but there was no chaos—only orderly prosperity.
"It's… lively," Harumi murmured from beside him.
"It's controlled," Rin corrected gently. "Every stall here likely paid triple the usual permit fee."
Harumi blinked. "Scary."
Rin smiled faintly.
Soon, their carriage veered away from the main commercial district and into a quieter residential area reserved for Shinegori elites. They stopped before a refined but modest estate—smaller than the main Shinegori mansion, yet elegant in design.
A small, personal domain.
The carriage door opened.
Waiting there, dressed in a pristine white evening gown with silver accents, was Shinegori Akane.
Her posture was perfect.
Her chin slightly lifted.
Her lips curved in that familiar, infuriatingly confident smile.
"Welcome, Sir Rin," she greeted smoothly. "To my humble abode."
Rin stepped down from the carriage, meeting her eyes without flinching.
"Humble is not the word I would use."
She gave a soft huff.
"Then please adjust your expectations accordingly."
He was already used to that smugness. It no longer provoked him—it amused him.
During their months of business cooperation, they had shared small fragments of personal history. Nothing dangerous. Nothing manipulative. Just enough to understand each other's foundations.
Akane had once casually mentioned that she was the illegitimate daughter of the current Shinegori Clan Head.
"A child from the side," she had said lightly.
There had been no bitterness in her tone. Only calculation.
She had grown up with the Shinegori name but not the Shinegori privileges. The main branch children received better tutors, better magical training, better connections.
Akane had received… survival.
And yet, through relentless ambition and precise decisions, she climbed.
Now she stood as the White Consort of the Crown Prince.
She built her own capital.
Her own ventures.
Her own influence.
Of course she was smug.
She earned it.
"Come," she said, turning gracefully. "Your room has been prepared."
She personally led him inside the mansion. The interior was refined but efficient—less decorative extravagance, more functional elegance. Documents were neatly stacked in side rooms. Servants moved quietly and efficiently.
As they walked, Akane spoke without pause.
"My relatives have been quite persistent this week. Invitations for tea. Investment proposals. Marriage discussions—none involving me, of course. Merely my influence."
"How exhausting," Rin replied dryly.
"I informed them," she continued smoothly, "that I had prior commitments. Specifically, that I would be personally guiding a most distinguished business partner around the festival."
Rin glanced at her.
"You used me as a shield."
"I used you as justification."
"Semantics."
She shot him a side look. "It is good that you came."
There was the slightest drop in her shoulders.
Relief.
He noticed.
He didn't comment.
Inside his assigned room, Harumi helped arrange his luggage while Akane sat at a small discussion table already prepared with documents. The room was half-bedroom, half-office—clearly designed for negotiation and rest in equal measure.
Once Harumi finished settling him in, Akane turned to her politely.
"Lady Harumi, your room is next door. My servants will escort you."
Harumi bowed. "Understood."
She gave Rin one quick assessing look before leaving.
The door closed.
Silence lingered for a second.
Then Akane's posture shifted.
Her stiff noble elegance softened slightly as she leaned back into her chair, crossing one leg over the other.
The smug smile returned.
"Thank you for coming, Sir Rin," she said, dropping the formal edge just a fraction. "It will now be significantly easier to annoy my relatives."
Rin walked over and took a seat opposite her.
"I don't mind being used to fend off your relatives. After hearing your backstory, it would feel unfair not to."
Her eyebrow lifted.
"How charitable."
"Purely strategic," he corrected calmly. "Now. How is our barrier device progressing?"
Her eyes sharpened instantly.
Business mode.
"The first shipment has been fully delivered," she began. "Customer feedback has exceeded projections. Caravan owners reported successful resistance against mid-tier magical beast ambushes."
She placed a document in front of him.
"The second wave of orders has been confirmed. This time from outer territories under the Hoshimi Empire's northern command."
Rin nodded slowly.
The portable barrier device—compact, attachable to carriages, activated by minimal mana input—had been their joint venture. His conceptual magic engineering paired with her logistics and capital network.
"We're already profitable," she continued, a glint appearing in her eyes. "Your presentation in the Imperial Court created demand before production even stabilized."
Rin leaned back slightly.
After his injuries from saving the Azure Consort, there had been unavoidable delays. But now the production line—primitive by modern standards yet efficient for this world—was operational.
Assembly teams.
Mana-core embedding stations.
Quality inspection protocols.
Akane had executed it flawlessly.
She suddenly dropped a leather pouch onto the table.
It landed with a heavy clink.
Rin raised a brow.
"Your share from the first launch," she said casually. "After accounting for operational expansion and my own allocation."
He opened the pouch.
Gold coins.
A lot of them.
"This is more than expected."
She waved it off. "The initial capital was already high thanks to your custom tools. Consider this… excess liquidity."
He studied her.
"You're planning something."
She smiled wider.
"Money Festival encourages indulgence."
"Indulgence?"
"Yes," she replied smoothly. "We should spend excessively. Publicly."
Rin blinked once.
"You want to display profit."
"I want to demonstrate success," she corrected. "If we spend aggressively from venture earnings, my dear relatives will realize that the 'illegitimate child' now commands her own revenue streams."
Ah.
There it was.
The cat revealing her claws.
Akane leaned forward slightly, hiding half her face with her hand as she gave a low, delighted laugh.
"Imagine their expressions."
Rin watched her with mild amusement.
Devilish.
Victorious.
Truly befitting the White Consort of the novel.
"I shall personally escort you tomorrow," she continued. "We begin at nine. Be prepared."
"You're unusually excited."
"Opportunity excites me."
"Spite excites you more."
She did not deny it.
She stood gracefully.
"Rest well, Sir Rin. Tomorrow will be… productive."
She exited with elegant steps, composure fully restored.
Moments later, the door opened again.
Harumi entered quietly and bowed.
Rin was already sprawled across the bed, staring at the ceiling.
"How was your private discussion?" she asked carefully.
"Profitable," he replied.
She noticed the gold pouch on the table and her eyes widened slightly.
"That much already?"
"First launch success."
Harumi smiled warmly. "That's amazing, Young Master."
He rolled onto his side, looking at her lazily.
"I'm bored."
She blinked.
"…You just arrived."
"Yes."
"…You have a full schedule tomorrow."
"Yes."
"And you want to—"
"Go out."
Harumi sighed in surrender. "Understood."
Within minutes, they slipped out quietly through a side entrance of the mansion.
The night air of the Shinegori territory was cool and lively. Lanterns reflected off polished stone streets. Musicians played soft string instruments near tea houses. Investors argued passionately over future commodity predictions.
The scent of grilled skewers drifted through the air.
Rin inhaled lightly.
Festivals in this world were not only about joy.
They were about power.
Wealth displayed.
Influence measured.
All under a canopy of celebration.
Harumi walked beside him, glancing around curiously.
"Do you think Lady Akane will be angry if she finds out?"
"She will," he replied calmly.
"…And?"
"She will recover quickly."
Harumi giggled.
They walked past jewel merchants and enchanted artifact vendors. Magical lantern drones floated overhead, advertising limited-time contracts.
Rin slipped his hands into his sleeves.
"Tomorrow will be noisy," he said.
"Are you looking forward to it?"
He thought for a moment.
Akane's smug grin.
Her quiet relief when he arrived.
The weight of the gold pouch.
The coming academy.
His upcoming coming-of-age ceremony.
The web of politics tightening slowly.
"Yes," he answered finally.
Harumi smiled softly.
The Money Festival lights flickered in his eyes as the night deepened.
For now—
He would enjoy the calm before whatever storm Akane planned to unleash tomorrow.
Calm was apparently not in the dictionary tonight.
Rin had barely turned the corner at a crowded intersection of festival stalls when he nearly collided with someone.
A sharp twang cut through the air.
An arrow flew from the archery stall beside him and struck dead center in the bullseye.
The shooter turned.
Red hair fluttered under lantern light, vivid as embers. She wore refined outdoor attire, practical yet elegant — and across her sash gleamed the unmistakable emblem of the Vermillion Consort.
She smiled in surprise.
"Ah! I didn't expect Sumeragi Rin to be here."
Takigawa Rei.
Of course.
Rin internally panicked.
Avoid? Engage? Retreat? Pretend I didn't see her?
Too late.
Rei stepped toward him lightly, soldiers and clan members parting behind her.
Harumi immediately shifted her demeanor into that of a proper maid, lowering her gaze.
"Lady Takigawa," Rin bowed, recovering quickly. "It is a surprise to meet you here."
"Ah, right. Sir Rin." She waved lightly. "Just Rei is fine. Lady Takigawa sounds so distant."
He complied smoothly. "Then Lady Rei. I am here at Lady Akane's invitation. We are business partners, and she wished for me to experience the Money Festival. As for tonight, I was simply wandering."
"I see."A pause."I see."
The way she repeated it made Rin uneasy.
"You and Lady Akane are… close."
"Is something wrong, Lady Rei?"
Her expression sharpened ever so slightly.
"You are a Sumeragi. Why are you associating yourself with the Shinegori? You do know their nature, do you not?"
Ah.
Right.
The centuries-old friction between Takigawa and Shinegori.
Morality versus ambition.Integrity versus ruthless pragmatism.
Five pillar houses of the Empire — Sumeragi, Chinen, Sarada, Shinegori, Takigawa.
And he, inconveniently, stood between two extremes.
Rin exhaled slowly.
"My relationship is with Lady Akane, not the Shinegori clan as a whole. Our dealings are strictly business."
Rei did not look convinced.
"A Shinegori is still a Shinegori. I merely worry you may be influenced in the wrong direction. The future Duke of Sumeragi cannot afford to lean toward… questionable values."
He understood her concern.
Perception in noble politics was half the battle.
Connections implied allegiance.
Still—
"I am not so easily swayed," Rin replied calmly. "I know the path I walk."
A moment of silence.
Then Rei coughed lightly, composure returning.
"Do you have plans tomorrow, Sir Rin?"
There it is.
"I am scheduled to accompany Lady Akane."
"Then I shall join you."
She smiled brightly.
It was not a suggestion.
Harumi very subtly looked at Rin with pity.
Rei clasped her hands behind her back, utterly straightforward as ever. "I would like to ensure you remain on the correct path."
Of course she would.
In the novel, Takigawa Rei was known for her honesty and directness. What she disliked, she confronted. What she liked, she pursued openly.
The complete opposite of Akane — who would smile sweetly while calculating five moves ahead.
Rin stared at the lantern-lit sky for a brief moment.
Tomorrow.
Akane.
Rei.
The Money Festival.
Yes.
Tomorrow was absolutely going to be a headache.
Morning arrived far too quickly.
At exactly nine o'clock, in the courtyard of her personal estate, Shinegori Akane stood in front of Rin with an expression so openly disgusted it was almost impressive.
It was not subtle.
It was not refined.
It was not even concealed.
It was pure, unfiltered displeasure.
Rin, meanwhile, was looking to the side and whistling faintly as if the birds in the Shinegori gardens were the most fascinating creatures in the Empire.
Beside him, smiling brightly as if this were the most natural situation in the world, stood Takigawa Rei.
"Good morning, Lady Akane," Rei greeted cheerfully.
Akane's eye twitched.
"…Vermillion Consort."
Even the air felt strained.
Rin did not remember giving Rei a time.
He did not remember giving her a meeting place.
He most certainly did not remember inviting her.
And yet here she was.
On time.
Perfectly prepared.
With attendants.
How did she even find out? Rin wondered for the fifteenth time.
It was unsettling.
Very unsettling.
To make matters worse, Harumi was not here.
That had been Rin's idea.
Earlier that morning, he had handed her a pouch filled generously with silver coins.
"Enjoy the festival," he had told her. "Take the entourage and relax."
Her reaction had been immediate.
"Waaah—Young Master is so generous!"
And just like that, she had scampered off happily with the Sumeragi attendants in tow.
In hindsight…
That was a mistake.
Because now—
Rin stood alone.
The sole representative of the Sumeragi name.
In front of two Crown Prince consorts.
Both of whom had brought guards.
Akane's retainers stood composed and sharp-eyed behind her. Rei's Takigawa soldiers, upright and disciplined, flanked their mistress protectively.
And then there was Rin.
One person.
No visible protection.
No display of status.
Rei tilted her head slightly. "Sir Rin, is it truly fine for you to walk without an entourage? You are the heir of the Sumeragi Dukedom."
Akane folded her arms, watching closely.
Rin thought about it honestly.
To him, large entourages were… inconvenient.
His technique—Limitless Space—required room. Space to maneuver. Space to distort. Space to either escape or overwhelm.
Crowds limited him.
Guards obstructed him.
If attacked, he preferred openness.
Besides, his father always knew his location through their mana-linked crest. If something truly catastrophic occurred, the Duke would intervene.
Rin gave a mild shrug. "I prefer traveling light."
Rei looked unconvinced but nodded.
Akane narrowed her eyes.
Both consorts silently interpreted his solitude as a personal preference.
But internally?
They were thinking very different things.
Akane did not want her only serious business partner swayed by Takigawa righteousness.
Rei did not want the future Duke stained by Shinegori ambition.
And Rin—
Rin was acutely aware he was the button that could trigger a cold war between two pillar factions.
He suppressed a sigh.
Akane straightened her posture.
"As host," she said smoothly, regaining composure, "I shall lead."
The words were polite.
The tone was territorial.
Rei simply smiled.
"Of course."
Bug.
That was what Akane internally labeled her.
A very persistent, red-haired bug.
Still—
Akane inhaled slowly.
Consider this practice.
If she were to face Rei during the inevitable political battles among the consorts for the Crown Prince's favor, she would need composure. Strategy. Adaptability.
This was simply an early test.
Yet when she glanced at Rin again—
He looked far too innocent.
Far too unaware.
And she suddenly felt something extremely irrational.
Like a wife watching her husband bring home another woman without warning.
The thought made her pause.
She quickly suppressed it.
Ridiculous.
Rin was not hers.
He was a partner.
An asset.
A valuable one.
And if anyone were likely to betray the other in a purely strategic sense…
It would probably be her.
She knew that.
Which meant—
She needed to ensure he never suspected such a possibility.
If Rei convinced him that Shinegori ambition equaled inevitable treachery, she could lose him before she even had a chance to make a move.
No.
She would not allow that.
"Let us proceed," Akane declared.
The procession began moving through the festival streets.
Lanterns still hung from yesterday's celebrations, though now sunlight illuminated the gold embroidery and polished marble pathways of Shinegori territory.
Merchants bowed respectfully as the two consorts passed. Murmurs followed in their wake.
"The White Consort…"
"The Vermillion Consort…"
"And isn't that Sumeragi Rin?"
Eyes lingered.
Speculation brewed instantly.
Rin felt it.
This was no longer a casual outing.
This was a statement.
Two consorts.
One Sumeragi heir.
Walking together.
If rumors moved fast in the Empire, this would spread like wildfire before noon.
Akane walked slightly ahead, graceful and composed.
Rei matched her pace easily.
Rin walked between them.
It was suffocating.
"So," Rei began pleasantly, "what is our first destination?"
Akane's lips curved into a smooth smile.
"The Grand Viremont Auction House."
Rei's brows lifted slightly.
"A bold choice for the morning."
"Money Festival demands boldness," Akane replied.
Rin internally braced himself.
An auction house meant displays of wealth.
Public bidding wars.
Political signaling.
Of course Akane would start here.
If she wanted to demonstrate profit from their venture, this was the perfect stage.
They turned a corner, and the building came into view.
The Grand Viremont Auction House stood like a palace of commerce. White stone pillars framed its wide entrance. Gold-inlaid doors stood open. Noble carriages lined the front courtyard.
Banners displayed rare artifacts scheduled for bidding: ancient mana relics, enchanted weapons, territory bonds, caravan contracts.
The air itself felt expensive.
Akane slowed as they approached the steps.
She turned slightly toward Rin.
"Today," she said softly enough for only him and Rei to hear, "we spend."
Rei's smile thinned just a fraction.
"Frivolous spending is rarely admirable."
"It is not frivolous," Akane countered calmly. "It is investment."
Rin rubbed his temple.
Here we go.
Behind them, both factions' attendants stopped at a respectful distance. Only a few select guards would accompany them inside.
Rei glanced at Rin again.
"You are certain you are comfortable navigating such spaces alone?"
Rin gave a faint smile.
"I will survive."
Akane's gaze flicked between them.
She could almost see the invisible tug-of-war rope tightening.
He is mine as a partner, she reminded herself.
He is a Sumeragi, Rei likely reminded herself.
And Rin?
Rin just wanted to get through the day without accidentally igniting a factional feud.
A servant at the entrance bowed deeply.
"Welcome, Lady Akane. Lady Rei. Sir Rin."
The titles echoed subtly.
Other nobles entering nearby slowed.
Whispers intensified.
Akane ascended the steps first, her posture flawless.
Rei followed confidently.
Rin paused for half a second at the bottom.
He looked up at the massive doors.
Auction houses were battlefields.
Not of swords.
But of pride.
Of ego.
Of influence.
Inside, every bid would be interpreted.
Every hesitation judged.
And with both consorts present?
Nothing today would be simple.
Rin exhaled quietly.
He stepped forward.
The golden doors of the Grand Viremont Auction House loomed before them.
And together—
They crossed the threshold.